


With You

by Bookwormpride



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Pearlmethyst Bomb
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-03
Updated: 2017-11-03
Packaged: 2019-01-29 00:00:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12618528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bookwormpride/pseuds/Bookwormpride
Summary: What happens between Pearl and Amethyst after missions changed over time. For pearlmethyst bomb day 6 -long day at work.





	With You

“So what's this thing  _ do _ ?” Amethyst asked as they stepped off the warp pad, examining the seemingly-clear sphere in her hand.

“It’s sort of like a human projector,” Pearl explained. “You point it at a flat surface and when a light goes through it magnifies the images printed in it’s facets`.”

“But you can already do that with your gem, why’d they need this then?” Amethyst asked.

Pearl stiffened. It was an innocent question, she reminded herself, Amethyst didn’t know a pearls intended uses. “Yes well, it was useful when a gem who could project imagines hadn’t seen what they needed to show.” She quickly answered, before stepping off the warp pad and disappearing into her room.

 

Pearl didn’t believe for a second that her swords were making their way into Amethysts room through the waterfall, finding one of her rapiers in a pile far away from any water source only proved her point.

She was just pulling it out from between a dusty old television and a ripped up couch when she heard Amethyst yelp, “What are you doing?!” 

Pearl turned, blade in hand. “Retrieving my sword, which  _ you  _ keep  _ taking _ .”

“I already told you, I’m not taking them. Why would I want your dumb swords, anyway?” Amethyst huffed, folding her arms. 

A flash of light in a nearby pile caught Pearls eye, looking closer she realized it was the projector sphere they had brought back from the mission earlier. She gasped, ignoring Amethysts indignant protest as she pushed past her, and picked it up. “You can’t keep this in a pile like it’s garbage! This is an ancient gem artifact, you need to take care of it!” Pearl stressed.

Amethyst rolled her eyes. “Chill dude, you guys said I could have it, I get to do what I want with it.” She said nonchalantly. 

Pearl fumed silently for a moment before taking a deep breath and storing the sword in her gem to free both her hands and gently hold the projector. “Well now you don’t get to have it, I’m taking it to my room.” She said calmly, starting towards the door.

“Hey, it’s mine! Give it back!” Amethyst yelled, running after her.

“This is part of our history, Amethyst,  _ your  _ history too. It’s not trash to be thrown in with a bunch of human junk.” Pearl said as she kept walking. 

“Ohho, I get it now, what’s it show? Something about Rose?” Amethyst taunted.

“It’s the first images ever taken of Earth, actually. You could have seen them for yourself if you hadn’t tossed it the moment you got home.” Pearl said, remembering what it was like, seeing the beautiful images of the waterlogged planet for the first time when Rose had shown her - hidden away in a darkened room, talking in whispers as not to be caught, dreaming of what seemed impossible at the time...

“C’mon, I wanna see,” Amethyst said, bringing Pearl back to the present. She leapt for her arm while Pearl held the sphere out of reach.

“Amethyst,” Pearl protested, leaning away from her lunges. “Amethyst, stop-”

“Give it,” Amethyst demanded, grabbing onto Pearls elbow and pulling her forward.

“Get off me!” Pearl said, holding the sphere above her head with one hand.

Amethysts fingers finally made contact with the projector, just enough to tip it out of Pearls grasp and send it tumbling to the floor, where it shattered into a circle of a million tiny, sparkling pieces.

There was a long silence while the two of them stared at the mess.

“No, no no no no.” Pearl crouched, beginning to carefully pick up pieces and attempting to fit them back together with shaking fingers. Her eyes prickled with tears as she realized there would be no fixing the artifact.

“I’m sorry!” Amethyst yelled.

“You don’t get it, you don’t-” Pearl shook her head, throwing the jagged shards down and balling her hands into fists. She glared at Amethyst. “This was the last one of it’s kind, the rest were  _ destroyed  _ and you- you... broke it!”

“I said I’m sorry, okay?!” Amethyst repeated.

“You wouldn’t have to be sorry if  _ for once  _ you didn’t act like the feral gem we brought home from the Kindergarten!” Pearl shouted.

Amethysts face fell, hurt flashing in her eyes before her expression hardened. “It wouldn’t be broken if for once  _ you  _ hadn’t acted like a stuck up, pain in the ass!” She said through clenched teeth. “Get out. Go!”

Pearl clambered to her feet and summoned the temple door to open, Amethyst yelling after her, “and stay out!”

* * *

 

Leaving her room in the temple Amethyst found Pearl hunched in on herself on the couch. She was surprised to see her, she hadn’t been home in a few days.

“A-Amethyst,” Pearl gasped when she noticed her. She quickly wiped her cheeks with the heel of her hand and stood, smoothing out her shirt. “Uh, Garnet and Steven went on a road trip with Greg, over to Keystone, I- I think he said something about picking up brushes for the carwash.”

“Oh, um, okay?” Amethyst nodded uncertainly, wondering if she should ask how Pearl was doing, though judging from the lines under her eyes and stiff posture, not well.

“And I’m heading out, I think I might have a new idea where Peridot could be.” She said, hurrying past where Amethyst stood in the entrance to the living room and stepping onto the warp pad. 

“Do you want me to come with-”

The warp pad flared and Pearl was gone before she could finished the sentence.

 

Amethyst was dozing off on the window seat in a patch of pale early morning sun when the wrap pad activated and deposited a very worn-looking Pearl.

“Hey,” Amethyst called to her as she stumbled in and pulled out a stool at the kitchen counter.

She hadn’t even sat down before she straightened and marched to the sink, glaring at its contents for a moment before grabbing a sponge and turning the water on. Amethyst suddenly remembered the pile of dishes she had left in there after she had gone through the leftovers in the fridge.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Amethyst said quickly, pushing herself up. “I’ll do those, don’t worry about it.”

Pearl ignored her and began scrubbing the first plate. Amethyst went to her side. “I’ll wash them, why don’t you sit down, you’ve been out all night?” She said cautiously.

She continued, putting the plate in the drying rack. Amethyst touched her elbow. “C’mon, you’ve gotta be exhausted, just let me do it.”

Pearl yanked her arm away. “I need to do something useful,” She snapped. “At least I can’t mess this up.”

Amethyst watched in troubled silence as Pearls eyes filled with tears, until she drooped against the counter, dropping her head. Her shoulders beginning to shake as the tears started rolling down her cheeks.

Amethyst sighed, shutting off the water and gently guiding Pearl to the couch, handing her a dishcloth to dry her hands. She rubbed her back while she sobbed.

“G-Garnet hates me,” Pearl managed to get out between hiccups.

“She doesn’t  _ hate  _ you, she’s just mad, you really hurt her.” Amethyst said, her hand coming to a rest on Pearls lower back as she hugged herself.

“I know,” She sobbed. “I shouldn’t have- I knew- It just…”

“It just feels good to be with her, to… not be you for awhile, I know.” Amethyst finished for her.

Pearl looked at her with surprise, then nodded jerkily, gulping down a sob.

Amethyst got to her feet, seeing the panic that she was leaving on Pearls face she assured her, “I’m just gonna make some tea,” She said, knowing that while she wouldn’t drink it Pearl liked holding the warm mug and found the smell calming. “And we can talk.”

Pearl nodded again, giving Amethyst a small, grateful smile.

* * *

 

Pearl could tell that despite the instance that she was fine, Amethyst was far from. 

The jaggedly ripped edge of her new white shirt, and the slight squint to her eye that was visible when her bangs got pushed back suggested a hurried regeneration. Pearl would know, she had had her fair share of those during the war.

But beyond that her behavior made it clear she was hurt in more ways than just physically. She was grouchy, quiet, and avoidant when asked about the confrontation with Jasper, all classic signs that Amethyst was upset.

Pearl waited until after dinner, when Amethyst had slunk off to her room and Pearl was helping Steven get ready for bed, to ask him exactly what had happened. 

The bright, enthused way he had summarized the story for them earlier was gone, replaced with a small, fretful voice and sad eyes. He confided that he was worried about Amethyst too. Pearl tucked him in, promising that while Amethyst was tough and would surely be okay, she would talk to her.

She found Amethyst sprawled on one of the old, stained mattresses in her room with a bag of Chaaaps and a crumpled magazine that she was flipping through without seeming to be actually reading.

“Good evening, Amethyst.” Pearl greeted.

Amethyst startled, then realizing it was only Pearl slouched back down. “Hey,” She said lazily. “Whats up?

“Oh, nothing much. How are you doing?” She asked gently.

“Fine.” Amethyst answered shortly, the same way she had all night.

Pearl sat on the edge of the mattress, sweeping the ends of her sash out of the way and trying not to cringe as she imagined the layers of grime underneath her.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” She pressed. “Jasper must have been very… rough, to make you regenerate.”

“Yeah, I’m great, just got the snot beaten out of me.” She said sarcastically, picking at a loose thread in the mattress as if it offended her.

“Right,” Pearl said awkwardly. “I’m glad you were there though, not that I’d ever want you to be hurt, but I don’t know what Steven and Connie would have done without you and-”

“Oh don’t worry, they would have been just fine.” Amethyst said bitterly before she could finish. “You’re a great teacher, they didn’t even need my help.”

“Well-”

“Is there something you wanted?” Amethyst asked harshly, making no effort to hide her eagerness for the conversation to end.

Pearl sighed resignedly. “Steven told me what happened, some of what… what Jasper said.”

Amethyst rolled her eyes. “Of  _ course  _ he did.” She grumbled.

“Amethyst, none of it is true, you must know that. Jasper said those things to demoralize you, it’s a common tactic among-”

“But it is true. She isn’t  _ wrong _ ,” Amethyst said. “I’m defective, and small and weak and a  _ failure _ , a  _ pathetic joke _ .” Her voice broke and she let out a hard sob, turning away.

Pearl hesitated, then reached out and laid a hand on Amethysts shoulder, feeling her stiffen underneath the touch for a moment, before leaning into it. Encouraged, Pearl started again. “The only thing Jasper is right about is that you’re defective - a technical term to classify gems that don’t fit Homeworlds narrow ideals - but that doesn’t mean you’re a failure, nor are you weak. You’re one of the strongest gems I know, Amethyst, and when Rose told you that you’re perfect the way you are she meant it, and I mean it too. Garnet and I, and Steven, we’re proud of you, we love  _ you _ . We wouldn’t want you to be anything but what you are.”

Pearls thumb rubbed against Amethysts shoulder as she waited for a response, when none came and Amethyst continued to face the other way, she sighed again. “Well, I’ll let you get back to reading.” She said, rising and starting towards the door. She stopped just before rounding one of the junk piles, and added, “I like the white, by the way, it looks nice on you.”

Amethyst finally looked at her, her lip twitching up at one corner. “Thanks,” She said in a shaky voice, and Pearl knew it was for much more than just the complement.

* * *

 

Amethyst felt like she was going to burst with how excited she was, talking a mile-a-minute while she jogged to keep up with Greg, Garnet, and Pearl as they carried home a box of pizza.

“And there was six-X-h, I’m calling her Sharky cause she had these like, fangs, she’s really cool. Her hole was on the other side of the Kindergarten from mine,” She continued on her list of all her Prime sisters.

Pearl hummed, nodding for her to go on with what appeared to be genuine interest. Amethyst beamed, and described six-X-y next.

After dinner, and Gregs recounting of his abduction, Amethyst helped Pearl gather up the plates and dried them while she washed, mostly because she couldn’t sit still and Pearl was the only one who didn’t seem tired of hearing about the Primes. 

Once Greg had returned to his van for the night and Steven tucked in his bed Amethyst followed Pearl into her room, sitting on the edge of one of the waterfalls and swinging her feet, kicking up sprays of water with each pass.

“I used to sit in Elles hole all the time, before you guys found me,” Amethyst said, remembering the hole right above hers in Prime. “And sometimes I would crawl all the way to the back and sit in the corner and it… it almost felt like a hug. And now I actually know the gem that hole belonged to, and it’s just so...weird!” She laughed.

Pearl chuckled. “They sound lovely. I’m glad you found them.” 

Amethyst sighed contently. “I guess I thought- well I mean I thought all the other gems from Prime were dead anyway, but, I thought that if they  _ had  _ met me they would’ve hated me for being defective, but... they didn’t,” She shrugged. “They even waited for me to come out, they… they  _ wanted  _ me, they remembered me even after so long.”

Amethyst felt a hand on her forearm and looked up to see Pearls concerned expression. “Are you okay?” She asked.

“No, yeah I’m great,” Amethyst assured her. “I’m so happy, I can’t- I feel like I found this part of myself I didn’t know was missing. Jeez, that sounded cheesier out loud. Did I tell you I’m facet five, cut-”

“Cut eight-X-m, yes.” Pearl laughed lightly, slipping her hand into Amethysts.

Amethyst was quiet for a moment before she decided to ask, “So, what about you? Are you good? Pretending to be a-” She stopped herself short of saying ‘a pearl’ “a servant, must’ve been hard.”

Pearl let out a surprised laugh. “I hadn’t thought about it yet, actually, I’ve been busy being happy for you.” She said, squeezing Amethysts hand. Then in a much heavier tone, “Of course it was, and that dreadful Holly Blue ordering me around as if-” She bit back her remark.

Amethyst waited patiently, knowing Pearl would go on when she was ready and rarely needed coaxing to share her feelings. Finally, Pearl sighed. “In some ways it feels like I’ve been away from Homeworld, from my created purpose, for so long. Sometimes I almost forget what I used to be,  _ how  _ I’m supposed to be. Then other times…” She trailed off sadly. 

“It felt so natural to slip back into old habits. ‘Hold your hands this way Pearl, move gracefully, don’t talk back, accept being told you’re worthless without batting an eye.’” She said in a mock-lecturing voice, before giving a harsh laugh, then sobered. “It scared me. I’d like to think I’ve come so far, yet it was so easy to go back.”

It was Amethysts turn to squeeze Pearls hand. “Hey, you  _ have  _ come far, heck, even in just the past few  _ years _ , never mind since I first met you, and I don’t even know about before! You’ve changed so much!” Amethyst assured her. “You’re so much more then what Homeworld thinks you should be, even Peridot thinks so!”

Pearl gave a half-smile. “I suppose,”

“And you know what? If that's how pearls are supposed to act I’m glad you’re not like that, I like  _ you _ .” Amethyst said with finality, leaving no room for argument, before nestling into Pearls side.

Pearl wrapped an arm around her, hugging her close. “And I like you, Amethyst, it’s no wonder the other Amethysts did too.” She said, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

* * *

 

She knew it was irrational, but Pearl couldn’t stand letting Steven out of her sight. She was afraid that if she did it would turn out she had only imagined his return and he would be gone again, back on Homeworld after giving himself up.

While he walked Connie down the beach, took a much-needed shower, and changed into his pajamas, Pearl began to feel the panic she had lived with for the past few days he was gone closing in on her again. She practically started crying with relief all over again when he came out of the bathroom.

She could tell Garnet, Amethyst and Greg felt the same way, though Garnet hid it better than the rest of them. All four of them were watching him when he wasn’t paying attention, pretending to be going about business when he looked.

That night all four put him to bed, the way they used to when he had first moved into the beach house and still wanted his dad to say goodnight. The other three went to their rooms - or to his makeshift bed on the couch, in Gregs case - once he fell asleep, but while Pearl had stopped watching him sleep some time ago as he asked her to, that night she couldn’t help herself. She sat on the floor by his bed, watching the steady rise and fall of his chest, and the flutter of his eyelids as he dreamed, letting the reality of his safety sink in. He was home, this was real.

Late that night, when the moon was starting to fall back towards the horizon and Greg's snores filled the small house, Pearl heard the temple door open. She didn’t bother looking, figuring it was either Garnet passing through or Amethyst coming out to grab a snack from the fridge.

She was surprised when she heard footsteps on the stairs, and looked up to find Amethyst beside her.

“Hey, why don’t you go chill out for a bit? I’ll stay with Steven,” She whispered.

Pearl shook her head. “No no, it’s okay, I like watching him.” 

Amethyst settled on the floor with her, leaning with one arm on the bed. “You were pretty awesome repairing that ship, by the way. I didn’t get the chance to tell you.”

“It never would have worked, I doubt I could have gotten it out of the atmosphere, forget about to Homeworld. It would have been too slow, anyway, we wouldn’t have reached him in time.” Pearl said grievously, then noticing Amethysts look put on as much of a smile as she could manage. “Thank you, though.”

“You would have figured out something, you and Peridot. Wonder-nerds supreme.” Amethyst joked half-heartedly. 

As they went quiet the heaviness that had been held at bay all evening settled, weighing on Pearls chest like a boulder. From the way Amethysts shoulders slumped Pearl knew she was feeling it too.

“We really could have lost him,” Pearl whispered, her voice wavering.

Amethyst didn’t say anything, she simply nodded, her eyes on Steven's face. As they watched his lips twitched into a frown and he shifted in his sleep. Pearl was about to touch his hand, rouse him just enough to bring him out of whatever unhappy thought was haunting his dreams, but Amethyst was already there, softly patting his head. He exhaled heavily and his expression cleared.

A long silence followed, while they waited, making sure he was alright and still asleep. Finally Amethysts voice cut through the quiet. “What's going to happen now?” She whispered, and though it was a vague question Pearl knew exactly what she meant.

“I don’t know,” Pearl admitted. Would the Diamonds come to Earth in search of their escaped prisoner? Would they send their forces and bring about another war, one the Crystal Gems had no hope of winning? Would they simply destroy the planet, wiping out everything the rebellion had worked so hard to protect?

But they had faced the impossible before, their entire  _ existence  _ was impossible. A pearl who refused to serve, a fusion formed through love, a small quartz who was so much more then a soldier, and a half-gem boy who continued to defy all the odds against him.

The Crystal Gems had won the war, they had made a new life for themselves on Earth. They had taken Homeworlds wrath again and again, coming out victorious each time. They had mourned together, been torn apart, hurt each other more than any of them would like to admit, but they always found their way back together. Nothing had managed to break them yet.

Looking at Amethyst, and thinking of the life they had there, Pearl knew she would fight again, if it came to that. She wouldn’t let anything or anyone - not the Diamonds, or Homeworlds forces, or any weapon they possessed - take away what she had come to love.

Pearl reached out and found Amethysts hand in the dark. “Whatever happens, we’ll face it together. We’ll be okay,” She stressed.

The tension Amethyst was holding softened and she nodded gratefully.

They were quiet for the rest of the night, watching Steven sleep as the moon slowly disappeared behind the ocean and the sun began to rise, comfortable and assured in having each other.


End file.
